The MusicPad Pro, World's First Sheet Music Computer Tablet, Earns Praise from Canada's Acclaimed Gryphon Trio

Business Wire, Nov 4, 2003

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LOS ALTOS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 4, 2003

FreeHand Systems, Inc.:

-- Noted for tweaking classical music tradition, the Gryphon Trio

replaces sheet music with the MusicPad Pro, "the biggest

breakthrough for musicians since music was printed."

-- The MusicPad Pro eliminates page turns with a mere touch of

the screen and has the capacity to store thousands of sheet

music pages.

-- The MusicPad Pro helps musicians get more pleasure and

enjoyment from their art.

"Unshackled ... unrestrained ... spontaneous ... a quicksilver, sleight-of-hand naturalness."

That's how a music critic from the International Record Review characterized Canada's widely acclaimed Gryphon Trio. Others have even asserted this chamber music ensemble will define classical music for the 21st century.

Known for their skill at weaving technology and computer controlled sound and video with traditional music instruments and classical music, the group has earned a reputation for being at the cutting edge. That's why the MusicPad Pro, a new tablet computer that eliminates the need for sheet music and revolutionizes the way musicians compose, arrange and perform, has played a key role in the group's adaptation of Christos Hatzis' "Constantinople," a multi-media music theatre work.

"Written for piano, violin, cello, an operatic mezzo-soprano, a folk singer alto and digital audio, 'Constantinople' is contemporary classical music that speaks from the heart and embraces audiences of all ages and backgrounds," says Roman Borys, cellist for the trio. "With its surround-sound effects, projections and innovative staging, 'Constantinople' is the perfect venue for a breakthrough device like the MusicPad Pro.

"Audiences have been amazed by the music. In recent performances in Greece and Egypt, they welcomed 'Constantinople' with open arms and enthusiasm," he says.

"Performances during the Olympic/Paralympic games period are now being finalized and will also be accompanied by performances in Istanbul, Cairo and Alexandria -- cultural centers which have long been immersed in the issues of cultural diversity."

Developed by Los Altos-based FreeHand Systems, a privately held company with the mission of reinventing how musicians read and perform music, the MusicPad Pro fits neatly on a music stand and solves the age-old problem of turning music pages by letting musicians simply touch the screen. It creates a paperless environment by providing storage capacity for an entire music library of more than 5,000 pages of sheet music. FreeHand's proprietary annotation technology enables musicians to mark up or compose new music while saving the original score.

"The MusicPad Pro is the biggest breakthrough for musicians since sheet music was invented," says Borys.

"We don't have to put up with awkward page turns, fumbling through pages of sheet music or agonizing about whether we remembered to bring the right music. Everything can be stored on a MusicPad Pro, and new scores can be downloaded any time. It changes the way music is made."

"The Gryphon Trio is a world-class ensemble and foremost proponent of both classical and contemporary music," says Kim Lorz, FreeHand Systems CEO.

"They have a passion for technology and a vision for how it can change the world of music. We are pleased that they've found the MusicPad Pro to be such an indispensable performance tool."

The sleek new tablet computer is housed in a charcoal grey ABS polymer enclosure not much larger than a sheet of paper. Weighing just under five pounds, it is lightweight and easy to carry, although the MusicPad Pro Plus, which comes with a rechargeable battery, weighs a little more. Suggested retail price for the MusicPad Pro is just $999. The MusicPad Pro Plus, with a battery life of three hours on a single charge, is $1,199.

Both models have an easy-to-read, low glare, backlit 12.1 in. TFT LCD display. Key features include zoom in and zoom out capabilities and on-screen color highlighters and pens to add or erase rehearsal marks and notations. Digital music files in pdf, jpg and other popular graphics formats can be directly imported into the MusicPad Pro using the software provided with the device. Printed music can be scanned into a computer and then imported.

As part of the FreeHand Music Management System, FreeHand's website provides over 30,000 music compositions and digital files. Customer support and access to an on-line store to buy FreeHand products are also on the website.

Pricing & Availability

The new MusicPad Pro and MusicPad Pro Plus are available on FreeHand System's website (www.Freehandsystems.com) and through FreeHand Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The MusicPad Pro Plus, which includes a 3-hour rechargeable battery, is $1,199.